Tangled-up
by nastazia indark
Summary: Orihime is in a long-distance relationship with Ichigo. But situations change,and relationships become all tangled.Will she realize that life is different than what she dreamed it would be?Will someone point that out to her?Rated M,just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Tangled up

Orihime is 25 years old, now a nurse at Karakura hospital. Having a long-distance

relationship with Ichigo Kurosaki, she fails to notice how relationships shift and get tangled.

Can a certain doctor help to pull her out from the teenhood dream?

Lame title, lame description, but at least I tried. XD Written as a parallel for a personal bad

relationship of that sort.

DISCLAIMER: Orihime,Renji,Uryuu,Ichigo,Rukia,the Karakura hospital etc belong to Tite  
Kubo.

* * *

"…And that's how the story goes, I swear!"

Karakura Clinic, 8 am. It's early in the morning, and all is quiet in the clinic. No emergency

patients, no sudden calls, the first round of the day in the patients' rooms has already taken

place, and the only noise in the deserted corridor is the cheerful voice of the young "nurse-

miracle", and a calm but stern voice that belongs to the son of the director, now a

prodigious doctor himself.

Orihime Inoue and Uryuu Ishida, their names. Orihime is a tall, busty lady with bright

auburn hair, cropped to reach the nape of her neck, held back by her signature flower

barettes. Uryuu is a lean, sophisticated-looking man, with raven-black hair and deep blue,

investigative eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses. Twenty five year-old the both of them,

they used to be classmates at school. Later, they attended the same university. He chose to

take after his father's steps and become a doctor, while she decided to become a nurse-

tending to people in need was something she was made for, after all.

So now, early in the morning and after they did their morning routine to the patients' rooms,

the two colleagues headed towards the cafeteria for a cup of coffee. Cheerful, bright

Orihime had yet another weird story to entertain her friend –this time, it was about the time

she thought space monkeys were into her house-, and Uryuu silently listened to her,

nodding and smiling at the right moments. While the voice of logic in his head strongly urged

him to point out that space monkeys don't exist, therefore they could not invade her house,

the thought of her pouting after his remark was something he couldn't stand.

You see, the young doctor was secretly in love with the auburn-haired lady since..forever?

He remembers being in love with her since they were in junior high..But she never noticed it.

Her eyes were only for his antagonist, the carrot-head named Ichigo. Plus, his scrawny teen

self believed she was way out of his league, with her unmatched beauty and her kind heart.

Eventually, by the time they were seventeen, Orihime got in a relationship with Ichigo, and

Uryuu was left to his own devices. Not wanting to lose her companionship altogether, he

became everything she needed. Currently, he was her colleague and her best friend, her

confidant now that Ichigo had moved out to America to pursue his own course of studies.

The relationship was getting a harsh turn-she was in Karakura, he was in New York. They

were still together, but she missed him tremendously. Uryuu could clearly see that-she was

smiling brightly every day, but he could sense her loneliness. And while he only wanted to

reach out and embrace her, his sense of gentlemanliness kept him away. So, he could only

be there to listen to her, and wait patiently for her to decide to talk her sentiments over.

Uryuu let himself get lost in those thoughts, as Orihime continued her rambling on the space

monkeys. _Sweet Orihime…_ He let himself wonder about Ichigo. Where was he? Was he doing

well? Did he miss her at all? _How damn ironic is it? She can't have the one she wants because _

_he's in the other side of the world, and I can't have her, even though she's at arm's reach _

_from me…_ Eventually his thoughts were interrupted by Orihime, who tugged at his arm.

"W-What? Oh, I'm sorry, Inoue-san…I guess I got distracted. I'm…"

"…Tired, I know!", she completed his phrase before he could say anything.

"Well, that's the case, really..But how did you know?"

A poke at his ribs made him jump in surprise. "You were with that medical student last night,

weren't you? I passed by your house and your car was gone already…" She stifled a giggle.

"Well…" _Damn, did she have to notice it?_ It was the truth, that Uryuu had turned into some

sort of a playboy. Once he entered university, his charms were revealed, and the girls were

always after him. At first, he was refusing them all, hoping that Orihime would notice him,

now that Ichigo was gone. But she still held onto her relationship, and eventually Uryuu

started dating one girl, and then another, and then another one…His relationships were all

short-lived, because he would not manage to get Inoue out of his head. But every girl he's

dated with considered herself lucky, given the fact that Uryuu was so gentleman-like, so

courteous, and almost devilish under the sheets.

"Well, no need to apologize, alright?" Orihime beamed. "Just finish your coffee and let's go

see your appointments!"

The doctor nodded in approval, stood up and, finishing the contents of his cup, reached out

to help Orihime stand up. She responded to his gesture by holding onto his arm, and smiling

brightly at him.

"Such a gentleman, Ishida-kun! That's why all the ladies run after you!", she giggled.

He could only look at her and manage the tiniest of smiles. _If you wanted me, no one else _

_would matter. Sweet, blind, oblivious Orihime…_

* * *

"GET YOUR ASS GOING, KUROSAKI!"

At the same time, in New York it's seven PM. A certain orange-haired man, heavy loaded

was walking on the cold streets of New York, with a petite lady urging him on. Those are

Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki, friends and roommates..Or sort of, at is a tall,

athletic young man with a permanently sullen look on his face. An engineering student, he

has been pretty popular among the ladies of his class, but he stayed away from them,

because he was in a relationship with a girl, back in Japan. That is, until he met Rukia.

Rukia now, she's the girlfriend of Ichigo's roommate, Renji Abarai. She's a small lady,

energetic, with eyes full of curiosity and a long, wild, black mane. She studied photography

at the university where Renji and Ichigo were studying, and after they decided to move

together for less expenses, she started crashing in their apartment. Between her teenhood

boyfriend and his roommate though, she started developing feelings she shouldn't. But since

she knew about Ichigo's relationship, she kept quiet.

On that particular evening, it was Renji's birthday, and the two of them were out, buying

materials for dinner and gifts for them. As usual, Rukia was dashing forward, with her

camera at hand-so she would not miss any interesting shots-, and Ichigo was walking behind

her, carrying everything they bought.

"Oi, you shortie! I need some help over here!" he grumbled, looking at her with what

seemed like a sly smile. She immediately turned, hit his arm and took a picture of his

expression.

"And that's what you get for calling me shortie, you carrothead! " she laughed at his face

and started walking ahead of him again.

"You're a bastard…" he murmured. _But an adorable bastard, damn you…_ He had to admit,

he found Rukia's wild character totally charming. And he found her pretty, too-although he

was dating a woman that was the dream of the majority of men out there, he thought that

Rukia was really beautiful, too. But he wouldn't dare to get her, for guilt over Orihime, and

Renji, and because he thought she didn't like him that way..Right?

"If I'm a bastard, then what are you, you strawberry?" She liked to tease him like that. See

his nasty reactions. He was a really exciting guy, she hated to admit to herself. Even though

she has been with Renji since she was a little girl, and their bond was very strong, the

excitement this man brought her was way more. But it would be pretty awful to be rejected

from him, she guessed with a sense of guilt. The two of them would spend lots of time

together, since Renji was working part-time in a restaurant, same as today.

They started walking their way back home, both lost into their own thoughts-coincidentally,

those thoughts were about each other, even if they didn't know.


	2. Chapter 2

This part of the story has a bit of lemon in it…So rating it as M was useful, after all. XD  
I feel bad for Uryuu crying, but who knows…Maybe he'll get happier along the way! Let me know if you like the story so far, every good or bad critic is welcomed. (Also, I realize I have some issues in the format, so I'll try to fix them as soon as possible!)  
DISCLAIMER:The characters belong to Tite Kubo.

* * *

I'll be on a leave for a couple of weeks…I missed Ichigo. I want to see him…

Uryuu sighed deeply and laid back on his bed. He was on a date, he was supposed to spend the night at his companion's house-but much to her dismay, he

muttered an excuse and left. Now in his own bed, he closed his eyes and thought of Orihime's words, so bitter to his heart.

She had teared up while she said those things today. She admitted to Uryuu that she had grown very lonely lately, and that she felt the need to see Ichigo.

And since she never had even a day off the hospital since she got hired, she decided to use all the missed days of leave so far and fly over to New York, so she

could spend a bit of time with her boyfriend. And he could only muster a smile, pretending to be happy for her-while this was the last thing he needed to hear.

He switched off the lights and took a deep breath, knowing well that sleep wouldn't wash over this void in him. He pressed the palm of his hand on his

stomach, and took a deep breath. He had to admit to himself, he couldn't get over her, even after all this time. He could never stop getting intrigued by her

kind, loving nature. Her smile was enough to brighten his whole day, even though he wouldn't ever admit it out loud, when he heard her laugh he felt all warm

inside.

_So warm… _The tiniest smile showed up to his lips, as he brought the image of her in his mind. Beautiful auburn hair, which made her look so cute now that they

were short. Her beautiful gray eyes, and that big, sweet smile of hers. She had beautiful lips, he thought and chuckled to himself. It was such a pity that he

could never get to taste them. His breath got a bit heavy, the more he thought of her. Her ample, soft body-that was every man's dream, and it was Ichigo

who got to see it. _Ah, sweet Inoue-san…How good it would be to feel you…Would you ever want me, I wonder? I would make you happy, I know I would…_

He had made love to her so many times in his mind, that it was quite natural to react to those thoughts. His hand slowly slipped down his stomach and tugged

down his pajama pants. He already felt hard, and hot, and bothered by the thought of her. He was imagining her body, warm and soft underneath his own as

he wrapped his fingers around his erection. A groan escaped his lips as he thought of him entering her, her own moans cooing in his head. All too fast, he

released-hot, sticky fluid spewing off his manhood, and he sighed, feeling something warm coming out of the corner of his eyes as well-_tears?_-. He realized

then that his release couldn't help this frustration he felt. Uryuu wanted Orihime, Orihime wanted Ichigo-and all this turned out to be a huge tangle.

_Kurosaki..You better keep her happy. If I can't make her happy, at least you make her._ With a barely audible sob, he got off his bed, pulled up his clothing and

headed for the shower.

* * *

While Uryuu was busy thinking of Orihime, she was in her own apartment, frantically tossing various things into her suitcase. She was too excited-in a sudden

rush, she took a twenty-day-leave from the hospital, booked a ticket for the next flight to New York, and a ticket for the train, so she could go to the airport.

The flight was for the next afternoon, which meant she had all the time to pack her things, but she started doing it anyway. He thought of getting some rest

didn't cross her mind. _That's it, that's it! I'll be seeing him_ soon…_I'll hug him! I bet he's going to like my surprise, I mean…he must have missed me too, right?  
_

She stood awkwardly in front of the mirror and took a good look at herself. _I hope he still likes me…He hasn't seen my hair yet, I hope he won't get disappointed! _

She tousled her hair nervously and took a look at her body. She wasn't sure whether it had matured enough or not. Even though many men stared at her at

awe, she was unsure of Ichigo's opinion-he never seemed to compliment her, or even notice it much. But then again, it was Ichigo, she couldn't expect him to

talk much. _We're together since we were seventeen…And he never said he loved me so far. He can't really express himself out loud! But I guess it's alright..I love him _

_enough for both.__  
_

It's not that she was unsure of his feelings, she just wished he could express them a bit more. But she would forgive him for that, because she was sure he felt

so many things for her. That was the reason she stayed with him, anyway. Even though he was on the other side of the world, even though she rarely saw

him anymore, she was still in love with him… _Right?_

She walked away from the mirror and snatched a few dresses from her closet, trying to tidy them up before putting them into her suitcase. She had chosen her

best pieces of clothing, so she would look her best once he saw her. She already had planned it, too-before going to his place, she would change into a cute

dress she bought recently, which was sure to charm him. She giggled at the thought-_what would he do when he saw me suddenly in front of him?_, she wondered.

Would he smile, pick her up, kiss her? With a grin she could not suppress anymore, she closed her suitcase and put it aside, then she grabbed her bag and

started putting things she would need on the airplane in-her Ipod, her phone, her favorite book. She opened it and shuffled its ages briefly-it was Charles

Dickens' "Great expectations". Uryuu had given this to her as a birthday gift last year, claiming that she would love it as much as he did. He even wrote a note

for her in the first page, as a birthday card. _Read this thoroughly, Inoue-san. You'll find a great deal of truth in it. Happy birthday, from Uryuu. _

Ah, kind Ishida-kun… She smiled warmly and clutched the book at her chest. He was always so kind to her, she was so grateful for his precious friendship. It

seemed to lessen the pain of her loneliness. She almost forgot about her lonely relationship when she was with him, his company was always a great source of

joy to her. She only wished he would find a kind girl, so he'd stop jumping from one vain relationship to the other. _But I'm sure it's a matter of time until he finds _

_the perfect one for him! He's such a great man, after all._

The auburn-haired woman grinned and threw her book into her satchel.


	3. Chapter 3

I thought I was going to sleep, but I heard Billy Idol's "Rebel yell", and this scene stuck to my head, so…bye bye sleep. XD As always, all kinds of observations are welcome-also, YOU BETTER GET YOUR ASSES TO YOUTUBE AND LISTEN TO THE SONG.

Disclaimer: Orihime, Ichigo, Rukia, Renji and Uryuu belong to Tite Kubo.  
Also, the lyrics are from the song "Rebel yell", performed by Billy Idol.

* * *

Ichigo got out of the shower and plopped himself on the couch. It was already early in the morning, and he was the first to get up. Renji was in his room, sleeping with Rukia. _Lucky bastard…_ He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He lately noticed he couldn't keep his mind off Rukia. He was looking at her and thinking all kinds of absurd things. He knew that he wanted her, deep inside. But what could he do? He was in a relationship, she was in a relationship…Nothing could be done about that.

He opened the tv, wanting a distraction from those thoughts. The music channel came up, playing some groovy rock music, and he got up, thumping an imaginary drum as he walked into the kitchen to make coffee. At this moment, Renji's bedroom door opened and a half-asleep Rukia, dressed in one of Renji's shirts-which thankfully reached her thighs, since she's so petite- stormed out of the room, mumbling "Oi strawberry, make some for me, too!"

"Shut up, I have it here!" he smirked and poured coffee in two cups, one for him and one for Rukia. While she sprawled comfortably on the couch, he put the cups on the table and sat down. "So, why are you up so early, Ruki?" he asked, peeking at her.

"Couldn't sleep more…I was thinking about stuff, you know?"

"What kind of stuff? Do you want to talk about it?"

Rukia sighed and took her cup, drinking a bit of it. "I don't know where to start…I feel kinda weird lately. I…"

She stopped her phrase midway, as the first tunes of "Rebel yell" started playing. She immediately let her cup on the table and pulled Ichigo on his feet. That was a song they both loved, she knew that well by now. While he caught a glimpse of her winking, he felt the urge to grab her right then and there and kiss her. He resisted the urge as she pulled him closer and started hopping up and down, playing with her imaginary guitar. He laughed at her wild dancing and he pretended he was playing the drums, as they leaned close to each other, singing along with Billy Idol:

"_She don't like slavery, she won't sit and beg  
But when I'm tired and lonely she sees me to bed  
What set you free and brought you to me, babe?  
What set you free? I need you here by me, because_ …"

She flashed a smile at him, and Ichigo could swear she mouthed the words "I want you" between the lyrics of the song. He had all the time in the world to think about it later-he only wanted to cherish the closeness they had now, as they kept on singing-not noticing that they got too loud-:

"_In the midnight hour, she cried "more, more, more"  
With a rebel yell she cried "more, more, more"  
In the midnight hour babe "more, more, more"  
With a rebel yell "more, more, more_" "

"FUCK YOU, YOU MORON!" A pillow suddenly flew from the entrance of Renji's bedroom and hit Ichigo on the head, who jumped up in shock and looked for what –or who- hit him. He saw Renji, half-asleep and still topless, his long hair tousled and his middle finger raised in an obscene gesture towards Ichigo. Rukia watched amused at the two men, still dancing at the rhythm of the song.

"Can't a man sleep as long as he wants in that house, dammit?!" Renji went on, and while Ichigo was ready to answer back, Rukia jumped on his back and stopped him. "Now now,boys..Don't act like kids!" she giggled, and Renji looked awkwardly at her, then Ichigo, then back at her. Finally, he sighed and walked to the kitchen. "Whatever…"

"There's coffee ready. I'm off." Mumbled Ichigo and walked up to his room,only to emerge ten minutes later, dressed and ready. "I'm going to class, call me if you need anything. See ya! ", as soon as he muttered those words, he was out already, scowling and clenching his fist. He wasn't sure whether he was happy or not that Renji interrupted them-happy because he might have stopped something nasty, or angry because he actually _wanted_ to keep this going. And her…_Did she actually said she wants me? Or that was just wishful thinking?_ Damn, so many questions. He grabbed his bag and ran off the building, feeling totally frustrated.

Back on the house, Rukia walked up to Renji and poked his stomach. "Oi, what gives? Don't be so rude, so early in the morning!" Renji looked at her and sighed. He could never expect her sweet-talking him-they were friends since they were kids, and being all lovey-dovey seemed impossible. But he sensed that something was off- he realized it a bit ago, he was sensing that something was going on between Rukia and Ichigo, but he couldn't prove it.  
"Leave me be Rukia, I didn't even have coffee yet!" he mumbled and tied his hair up in a ponytail. She watched him silently, then headed back to the couch, quickly finished the contents of her cup and took it back to the kitchen. "Alright then, I'll be going too. Call me when you're fully awake, okay?" She placed a chaste kiss on his lips and ran off to their bedroom.

"Sure…" Renji watched her slamming the door behind her and sighed, taking a few sips from his cup. _She must want Ichigo, I can't fucking explain it anymore…_

After Rukia was on the road, she walked the usual route, hoping to catch up to Ichigo, but to no result. She wanted to catch up to him, apologize for Renji's behavior and talk to him. _About what, exactly? The fact that you lust after him, or what? The fact that you're about to cheat on Renji? What, exactly? _It was hard to keep her thoughts in order. She had taken a far bigger liking to Ichigo than she wanted to admit, while at the same time her relationship with Renji seemed to fade. He was a good man, but she felt of him more as a friend than a lover. _Ichigo ,though…_ She took a deep breath and plopped down on the nearest bench. Hands under her chin, she closed her eyes and thought about it for a while. _This can't go on, anymore. Renji will understand, we've been together since kids. I'm sure he will. _Finally, Rukia got on her feet and continued her walk to her class.


	4. Chapter 4

Another bit of the story, because I'm on a spree-maybe it helps that my exams are just over, too, or who knows what? I love the idea of a nerdy Uryuu reciting quotes from books to Orihime, so there!  
As always, reviews are welcomed :3 I hope you enjoy this!

Disclaimer: Uryuu, Orihime, Rukia, Ichigo and Renji belong to Tite Kubo.  
Also, Pip, Estella and that quote Uryuu was supposed to recite is from Charles Dickens' "Great expectations".

* * *

It was already close to noon, when Orihime, satchel and suitcase at hand, stepped out of her house. Everything was ready, and she only needed to go to the train station and take the next train for the airport. She figured she would catch a cab, so she walked to the street and waited patiently for the first cab available. Instead of a cab though, in front of her stopped a familiar silver jeep, and the passenger's seat window opened, revealing the face of Uryuu, smirking at her. She blinked, thinking why he wasn't in the hospital, but before she opened her mouth to form the question, he answered it for her.

"Hop in, Inoue-san. I'm on my lunch break and I'm sure I won't be needed for a bit, so I came to take you to the station."

She smiled brightly at him, and before she could manage to take her things to the car, he had already done so, plus he had opened the door for her to climb in the car. She hopped in and fastened her seatbelt, while he sat on the other end, cool and dignified as always.

"My god, Ishida-kun!" she giggled, looking at him, putting on a pair of dark sunglasses. He held the wheel with one hand, and as she looked at him, he looked so sure, so mature… _so charming._ "You look like a male fashion model or something!" she stated in a matter-of-fact tone, and his face turned deep red. She watched at his attempts to cover his embarrassment with an amused expression. Finally, he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Well, thank you Inoue-san. So…Is this it? Are you ready?"

"Full ready!" Orihime chirped happily and brushed her bangs back with her hand. "I have my papers, money and everything! I also got things for my amusement on the trip!" she fished the book from her satchel and showed it proudly at him. He only glanced at it and smiled. "I take it that you liked that book, Inoue-san?" he asked, the slightest tint of pride in his voice.

"What are you talking about? I loved it! I feel so bad for poor Pip, I always wish for him to get with Estella!". At this remark, Uryuu smiled a bit too bitterly. He always thought of Orihime as Estella in his mind. He looked ahead and quoted a bit from the book:

"_The unqualified truth is, that when I loved Estella with the love of a man, I loved her simply because I found her irresistible. Once for all; I knew to my sorrow, often and often, if not always, that I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be. Once for all; I love her none the less because I knew it, and it had no more influence in restraining me, than if I had devoutly believed her to be human perfection."_

Orihime turned to look at him, quite amazed by the fact that he could recite parts of the book. There was something more in the admiration she felt at that moment, though she could not bring the words to express it. His voice sounded soft, but stern… Almost as if he were in pain. _He sounds like he's Pip himself…Does this mean he knows what Pip is feeling? _ She didn't allow herself to ponder more at that, as she kept on looking at him in awe. "You make a fine narrator, Ishida-kun! Here's the deal, one day you'll get to read me a bit! Please?"

The raven-haired man felt pride swelling up in his chest at her remarks. _At least she appreciates me…That's something._ "Sure I will, Inoue-san. Once you come back from America, we can arrange that. When you will be back, by the way?"

"In about three weeks' time, Ishida-kun. Since I decided to make this surprise trip, I might as well enjoy it till the last moment!"

Uryuu blinked, feeling utterly confused. "Surprise? But I thought…

"Noooo, no! I didn't tell Ichigo about my trip! He'll just wake up and see me outside his door!" She grinned excitedly. "Wouldn't that be sweet?"

"I guess so, yes…" _You bastard Kurosaki, you better treat her like a princess. Who else would travel across the world for your sorry ass?_

They eventually reached the airport, and no matter what, Uryuu felt gloomy. He was going to miss seeing her so much…But she was too excited, and he could only pretend he was, too. He helped her get off the jeep, then took her suitcase, and rejecting her high-pitched pleads for her to carry it- "I can do it alone, Ishida-kun! You already brought me, you don't have to carry my things, too!" -, he still insisted on helping her carry it all the way to the check-in. He waited patiently as she got her ticket and gave her suitcase to the clerks, then walked her to the departure gate. As he was ready to wish her a good trip and leave, she suddenly snuggled close at him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Letting out a gasp, he awkwardly wrapped his own arms around her back and held her close, trying hard to stay calm.

She didn't seem to notice his anguish as she mumbled at him. "I'll miss you, Ishida-kun! Thank you for everything!"

"You're welcome, Inoue-san. I'm always at your services, you know that." He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in her soft, fruity scent. _Guess I can't complain…Even this can make me happy, since it's the most I could ever hope. _His words earned him a giggle and she pulled away, readjusting the satchel strap in her shoulder._ "_You sound like some kind of knight! How nice…Well, I think it's time to go…I'll see you soon!"

"Have a safe trip, Inoue-san. And have fun at America." _With that ungrateful bastard…Oh, Orihime…_

"I will, don't worry!" she grinned at him, a reassuring smile, all bright and warm. She waved cheerily and stepped into the gate, towards the plane that would take her away. As soon as she was out of sight, he sighed deeply and walked away, heading straight for his car. Once he sat on his seat, he let his head fall on the steering wheel and he let out a groan of frustration. _Orihime…_ At this moment, he realized his clothes still had her scent on them. He carefully brought the soft fabric on his face and smiled, as her scent filled his nostrils. How long would it be till he stopped getting intoxicated in that? That's something he didn't want to know. For now, this was more than enough. He smiled to himself and turned the car on, heading back to the hospital. Ryuuken would throw a fit for abandoning the hospital, especially now that it was so crowded, but he didn't care now. _She hugged me, she smiled at me…I'm ready to face anything now._

* * *

On the other side of the world now, Renji was at a café, waiting for Rukia. He had called her on the phone, stating something serious was going on, and that he wanted to see her. He didn't have to wait for long, before Rukia rushed into the café, her hair all tousled up, panting and groaning. With a bit of effort, she approached the table where Renji was sitting, and looked at him in question.

"R-Renji!What's going on? Are you okay?" she started asking, but right then , Renji dismissed her words with a wave of his hand. "Just sit down Rukia, I want to tell you something." She complied obediently, trying to figure out what was the deal with him-and he didn't fail to surprise her.

"I'm moving out of Ichigo's. Just so you know. I'm going to a hotel for a few days, then I'm getting my own place."

"What?!But why? Where are we going?" she mumbled, trying to process the information in her mind. They'd leave Ichigo, and she wouldn't be able to spend time with him like they did so far, that thought was awful to her mind.

"I didn't say WE are moving out…" he mumbled, trying hard to sound calm. "I'M moving out. You'll keep living with Ichigo. For your information, I'm not blind. I've seen how you two act around each other, so I decided to move out of the way before you throw me out. I guess it was good while it lasted and all, but now I'll be leaving.". He took a ten-dollar bill out of his pocket and left it on the table, for the serving girl. Rukia was still staring at him, her eyes wide and her mouth open, as if she was ready to say something. "Close your mouth Rukia, it's not a nice sight to see you like this."

"Renji…", that was all that Rukia could mutter before he stopped her once again. "What? Do you really think I'm a fool? Or blind? Give me a break… If I were wrong, you would have protested already. Anyway, I'm going home to pack my things. It won't take long, but keep Ichigo away until I finish." He smiled a bit at her and stood up, grabbing his sack. "For the sake of the past though, I'll be friends with you, but not now. See ya, Rukia. "

As she watched him leaving the café, Rukia hid her face in her hands, if only to regain her composure. _Renji knew…And he left for my sake._ She would have to think about it later, but right now, she needed to let Renji to his own devices, so he could calm down. She knew she was right though, her attraction to Ichigo was something she wasn't able to suppress anymore. _Oh, screw all this…_

She finally decided on having a cup of strong coffee, to keep her up and about, then call Ichigo on the phone.


	5. Chapter 5

This must be such a lame chapter! But I'll come back to review it some other time, so please bear with it! Thank you for your reviews so far, they've cheered me up :3 Anyway, this chapter contains just a bit of lemon, without many details. I feel awful for Renji and Orihime, but I'll set things straight! For now, enjoy the Ichiruki tension. *shot*.

Disclaimer:All characters in this story belong to Tite Kubo~

* * *

The JFK airport was…fascinating. Orihime, still a bit groggy from the trip, watched at all the people come and go in frantic paces around her. Some they had just arrived, some were about to leave-but everyone was busy running around. The young woman, barely containing her excitement, rushed into the bathroom and changed into a gray dress and a pair of pumps. She tousled her hair a bit, hoping she looked alright for Ichigo, and then stormed out-almost dancing in the middle of the waiting rooms of the airport. By his older letters-and a bit of research on the internet- she knew that Ichigo's apartment wasn't very far from here, so she afforded taking a cab straight to his house. But first, what she really needed was a cup of coffee. That was the easiest thing-she bought a tall cup of coffee and caught the first cab available, whose driver reassured her that it only needed about half an hour to get her to her destination.

Once she found herself into the cab, Orihime took a sip of her coffee and looked excitedly at the road. So different from Karakura! These were streets full of noise, and light, and life. With a grin she could not suppress anymore, she thought about Ichigo, she now understood why he loved this place that much! _How will he react now? I mean, I can't even believe I'm here! Oh well, I'm sure he's going to be happy! I just hope I look good enough…_

She just sighed happily and leaned back on the seat, enjoying the view of the crowded evening streets of New York passing her by.

* * *

While Orihime was on the way to Ichigo's apartment, though, he was on the couch, with Rukia by his side. She had informed him on everything that had taken place between her and Renji. She had also mentioned her feelings for him briefly, but he chose not to comment on that. She desired him, she said. She couldn't stop thinking of him, and she knew she wanted to be with him, against all odds-even if she doesn't knew whether this would work. He knew he felt the same, and he would have grabbed her on the spot, if in the back of his head wasn't a vague thought of Orihime. So now, he was sitting on the couch, clutching on a cup of coffee, while she was looking at him.

"So…What now?" she asked hesitantly, looking down at her own cup. He just sighed and leaned back at the couch, feeling his heart thumping madly. "I don't know, Ruki…I just don't. Where would this lead? And Renji..Won't he be hurt?"

"Renji abandoned the idea of being with me…We're best suited as friends anyway, he knows it too. And I've been wanting you for so long dammit, so I don't care about what happens! I only want-". Her words were cut abruptly by him turning around and pinning her on the couch, his face a mask of frustration and lust. "You only want what, dammit? The same that I want, I guess...Have you ever asked me how I can't hold away anymore?"

Putting all things aside, they both decided that they wanted to go further. She gasped as he caught her by the collar of her shirt and yanked her closer, kissing her. Rukia wrapped her arms around him and the kiss soon heated up. Long things short, they were soon undressing each other. It didn't took long for the two of them to start exploring each other's bodies with their hands. She was soon writhing in the couch, and it took all his remaining sense not to ravish her right away.

Without saying a word to each other they made rough, passionate love, and in the afterglow Ichigo found himself holding Rukia tightly into his arms, nuzzling her neck and mumbling to her. "I don't want to let you go, you know?"

"I don't want to, either…" said Rukia in a panting voice, her body still trembling from what had just taken place between them. "No matter what, I want you to myself now."

"And you'll have me…" _If only I could find a way to say that to Orihime. But then again, she must have guessed so far._ Thinking about Orihime was enough to make him feel stressed, so he softly let Rukia plop back onto the couch, as he stood up and headed to the fridge. Taking a cold bottle of water from it, he drank it all too fast, while thinking about how he should tell this to his soon-to-be ex girlfriend. As if sensing his thoughts, Rukia jumped up and followed him. "Listen, it's going to be alright…She's in the other side of the world, she should understand you two can't keep this up."

Ichigo sighed as he pulled the raven-haired woman into his arms, barely noticing that they were still naked. "I know, I know…I just hope she sees it this way, too. We haven't met in such a long time, how could a relationship be sustained like this? At least, she should find someone good to her."

And then, the doorbell rang. "Are we expecting someone?"

"As far as I know, no. Hang on, I'll answer.", said Rukia and pulled Ichigo's shirt over her head, to cover her nakedness if only for a bit. She rushed to the door and opened it. In front of her stood a beautiful young lady with bright auburn hair, holding a satchel. By her side was a big suitcase. The unknown lady blinked once, twice, and then muttered. "E-Excuse me…Is this Ichi-"

Her words were interrupted, as she caught a glimpse of Ichigo-naked, sweaty, tired and utterly surprised. She looked back at the small lady, who was in the same condition as him, then looked at Ichigo again. Finally letting this image sink in, she lowered her head and muttered, holding her satchel tightly against her shoulder.

"I'm sorry…I'm interrupting, right? I-I didn't want to!". Her voice was breaking as she grabbed her suitcase and walked back to the exit, before Rukia could realize what was going on. She turned around, only to see Ichigo pale as a ghost, trying to hold himself up. "Oi, Ichigo! What gives? Who was that?"

"That was…Orihime." _Damn…_


	6. Chapter 6

So…new chapter. I wanted to insert two cheerful characters and help Hime-chan a bit, after the shock. I hope it works out well! Anyway, thank you for the reviews, and I hope I have a new part soon enough.

DISCLAIMER:All characters belong to Tite Kubo (except Rebecca and Sunny)

* * *

"HEY LADY, WATCH OUT!"

Orihime muttered an apology to the angry man she bumped onto on her way to…_Where to, exactly?_ She couldn't think straight, in her mind there were only images of what she witnessed so far. A beautiful, barely dressed woman, and Ichigo on the background, naked. There was no doubt of what this was-those two are a couple, and a very happy one, in fact. _And me? What am I to him, exactly?_

She abruptly stopped in the middle of the pavement and let her stuff fall down. Soon after, she was on her knees as well, sobbing so hard that her whole body was shaking. Passer-by people would just glance at her and then walk away, leaving her to cry her heart out on the pavement. This didn't last long though, for a hand was pressed on her back and a woman leaned over her.

"Miss…Are you okay?"

Orihime turned and faced at a woman who was looming over her in worry, with a little girl by her side. She could only nod and smile a bit to the unknown lady, suddenly realizing what she was doing. "H-Hai! I'm sorry I caused you so much worry…I-"

"Now, now…Don't mention it.I can feel that something is wrong. Are you a newcomer to New York?" The auburn-haired woman nodded and a hand was extended her way for help.

"Come on, let's get you up. I'm Rebecca, and this little princess here is Sunny." The little girl stepped forward and curtsied in front of Orihime. "Nice to meet you, miss!"

That made the depressed woman smile a bit, as she stood up and gathered her belongings. "Nice to meet you, young lady!", she addressed the girl with a grin, even though the tears were still streaming down her face. "I'm Orihime!" she said, while wiping off the tears off her face. Somehow, that girl seemed to cheer her up a bit.

"So...Have you had anything to eat yet, Orihime?" Rebecca interrupted, while helping Orihime to get her things off the ground. Blinking, she tried to remember when was the last time she ate. But still, how could she have an appetite when…

Her stomach grumbled.

Sunny giggled and held onto Orihime's hand. "Come on, missy! We were just going to eat dinner, why don't you come? Right, mom? She can come, right?"

"You heard her!" Rebecca chuckled and addressed the young woman. "Seriously now…You should have something to eat, you look so pale! The diner we're going to is just around the corner, so I'm treating you too, if you care to join us?"

Normally, Orihime would just want to be left alone, to cry till she felt she could not shed another tear. But those two made her actually want to spend some time in their company. Rebecca seemed like a nice person, so she might help her out. So, she only bowed in gratitude, something which earned a giggle from the little girl. "I'll gladly join you, thank you for asking me!"

"Hey, don't be so formal! And by the way, do you have where to live?", Rebecca pointed at Orihime's suitcase, and she felt the tears coming up again. "No…", was her only response, but before she started crying, she got interrupted by Rebecca. "If you don't mind crashing on the couch, you can come stay with us. It's only the two of us at home anyway, we always like some company."

"That would be so kind of you, I don't even know how to thank you!"

"Silly Orihime…Just come already, I'm hungry!", the little girl chuckled and held onto Orihime's hand.

"Alright, alright!", she just smiled and walked with her new acquaintances to the diner.

* * *

In the meantime, Ichigo was pacing nervously around his apartment, with Rukia at his heels. They definitely didn't expect to see Orihime, and the timing was so bad, they both felt awful about her. Ichigo most of all, since he used to be her partner.

"What am I going to do? Damn, why did this have to happen?!"

"Calm down, Ichigo! It can't be helped and you know it!"

"Yes, but did it have to be that way, Rukia? How would you feel if you were in her shoes? I have to find her...But where, dammit?"

It only got a slap across his cheek to calm him down. Rukia, with her hand inches away from his cheek, looked at him angrily. "ICHIGO! Shut it for a moment and listen to me, will you?"

He nodded, looking at her in shock, and she kept on. "You can't find her now. Where are you going to look at?!Wait for her to come back, or for her to contact her when she's back to Japan. And in the end, beware…You may lose both her AND ME if you keep like this!". Rukia huffed and sat on the couch, facing away from Ichigo, and he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her delicate waist. "Ruki…I'm sorry. You're right…I don't want to lose you, but I can't help but be worried about Orihime, too. You know what? I'll call Ishida…"

"Who is that again?"

"He's an old classmate of mine. He's friends with Orihime, and they're colleagues as well. I'll just ask him to contact her and inform me."

"Rukia sighed and leaned back on him. "Alright, go ahead. I'll be waiting."

* * *

It's the middle of the night in Karakura town. A ring was echoed through Uryuu's room and he woke up abruptly, searching for the light switch. Half-asleep, he reached his cell phone, and without looking at the number calling him, he picked it up.

"Hello? Is this Ishida?"

A vaguely familiar voice echoed in his head, but being woken up like this, it was hard to remember.

"Yes, who is it?"

"It's Ichigo."

_Kurosaki?!_ He pushed the covers away and sat up, feeling pretty distressed. "What do you want, Kurosaki? Have you realized what time is it? Wait…Is Inoue-san okay?"

"Well…"

"SPIT IT OUT, KUROSAKI!". He didn't mean to lose his temper, but he just couldn't help it. He felt that something was going terribly wrong.

Ichigo, on the other end of the line, sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Listen…She came here and found me with another woman. She just turned and left, and I haven't seen her since…I have no clue where she went. I need you to contact her, see if she's alright, and…"

"Don't even dare to continue, Kurosaki.", Uryuu cut him off, feeling his rage getting to him. "How dare you cheat on Inoue-san?!She trusted you, and you repaid her like this? AND AFTER SHE TRAVELLED ALL THE WAY TO SEE YOU?!"

"Just do me this favor…Please. She won't answer me if I call her. Please, make sure if she's okay."

"I'll do it for her, not you. I wouldn't do any favors to a bastard such as you are."

"Tha-", Ichigo tried to say, but the line was abruptly cut off. Uryuu, enraged from the news had shut the phone right at him.


End file.
